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Show Sick of the Initiatives? ' By JUDY JENSEN Editor Aren't you sick of the tax initiatives? Whether they are for or against them, most people are expressing the same sentiment, "I don't want to hear any more about them!" And it is no wonder. Every day some new group I didn't even know existed, comes out in opposition or in favor of "A, B, or C." I would venture a guess that more money has been spent opposing or supporting the initiatives than we will ever gain or lose if they pass or fail. The reams of paper used to print the propaganda are probably equal to what would have come out of Yellowstone if it hadn't burned this summer. They tell us it is not over, that during the next week the groups are going to "step up" their campaigns. That's enough to strike terror in my heart. Any day I expect to see a headline reading, "First-born Must Be Sent to Japan if Tax Initiatives pass." It sounds ridiculous, but it is not far from what we are being told now. The opponents have presented such convincing arguments. Did you hear the one about the Los Angeles gangs waiting in Wendover to take over the city if the initiatives pass? There will be no police protection, you know, so they will find Salt Lake an easy target. Or what about the claim that Utah will become a communist state? Come on, give us a little credit. If every organization lost the amount of money that has been claimed, the total would be equal to the national debt. Those who favor the initiatives have made equally ridiculous claims. They say that they will be able to take away all of the money and not one single program will have to be cut. Now that will be a neat trick. Maybe I should have one of them balance my checkbook. It won't matter what my budget is, I can have anything I want! The only substitute for hysteria is knowledge. Some local governments have tried to present a factual, unprejudiced view of the effects of the initiatives. Bret Wahlin, city manager for Woods Cross, spent hours gathering information and studying the issues before making a public statement. North Salt Lake's City Manager, Collin Wood, was actually applauded at a recent public hearing for his unbiased report regarding how the initiatives, initia-tives, if passed, will affect the city. The propaganda surrounding the initiatives is overwhelming. The charges and counter-charges will continue until the voting is over and probably even beyond. We are all familiar with the anti-drug television commercial depicting the brain as a fried egg. Those debating the initiatives leave us feeling the same way: "For the last time, this is your brain, these are the initiatives, initia-tives, (sizzle, sizzle,, sizzle) any questions?" Don't let the headlines do your voting. Get the facts and then vote with knowledge, not hysteria. It's time the American public pub-lic exercised not only their right to vote, but also their right to think! |
